A student was left with a severely bruised face after using a celebrity-endorsed blackhead remover, making it look like she'd been 'beaten up really badly'.
Safia Hartwell, 24, purchased the Bellevia blackhead remover vacuum device for £20 after seeing Katie Price endorse it on Instagram.
She claims she copied videos she saw online and used it on the lowest suction level for just three minutes, but painful bruises emerged 'instantly', all over her face.
Advert
An 'absolutely devastated' Safia contacted Bellevia to explain what happened, but said she is yet to receive a response, while Katie Price's representative has said the star cannot be held accountable for the 'user error'.
Safia, from Norwich, Norfolk, said: "I saw the product on Katie Price's Instagram and thought I'd give it a go.
Advert
"I brushed it over my face as that's what I saw in the advertising videos online.
"I had it on the lowest suction and wasn't using it for long at all - just enough to go across my skin and vacuum the blackheads.
"The bruises came out instantly - I just thought it was redness from the product and that it would go down in five minutes.
Advert
"Then within 20 minutes I realised that it had bruised all my face - it looked like I'd been beaten up really badly.
"I was so shocked, I just couldn't believe it - it was horrible looking in the mirror seeing that."
Safia was left terrified that the product may have caused permanent damage, saying her mum thought it looked like she had 'loads of burns' all over her face.
Advert
After posting about it on Facebook, Safia was shocked to learn that many others had experienced problems with similar products.
She continued: "My friends have been so shocked and asking if I'm okay.
"Some girls said the same had happened to them - I don't know whether it's to do with skin types, but it's literally awful.
"I thought it looked like love bites all over my face, but other girls have said theirs looked the same - I think it's quite common with it.
Advert
"I was going to contact the doctor, did some research into it and others have said that it will go away in a few days.
"If someone used that before they had something really important the next day, like a wedding or a prom, could you imagine how bad that would be?"
Safia was even forced to cancel outings with friends for an entire week while her face healed.
"I've been using a lot of makeup to try and even remotely cover it," she explained.
"I thought I can't go out like this as it was really bad - it ruined all my plans.
"It's been so hot I've been wanting to go to the beach without having to worry.
"It was just horrible - I thought everyone was going to look at me and think 'what is wrong with her face?'
"I will definitely not be buying any more products from Bellevia."
She added: "It's made me more wary about buying products online, especially when celebrities are endorsing them.
"Don't be fooled and believe everything, because celebrities were raving about it so much and then it's done that to my face.
"Before you buy products, do some more research into them and leave it to the professionals - I'd hate for someone to have something really important the next day and have to go through that."
LADbible has contacted Bellevia.us for comment.
A representative for Katie Price confirmed the star had endorsed the product on Instagram, but pointed out that many other celebrities also had.
The spokesperson said: "Katie's fans mean the absolute world to her and she would never knowingly mislead nor promote goods that are not met by trading standards.
"Katie herself tries and tests all products she posts on her Instagram.
"Katie cannot be held accountable for user error nor is it fair to draw conclusion that Katie is an ambassador for the brand."
Featured Image Credit: Kennedy NewsTopics: UK News, News, Katie Price